Cleaning implement holder having pivoted jaws



Aug. 10, 1954 c. L. HABER 2,685,704

CLEANING IMPLEMENT HOLDER HAVING PIVOTED JAWS Filed May 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR.

Charles L- Haber ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 10, 1954 c. L. HABER 2,635,704

CLEANING IMPLEMENT HOLDER HAVING PIVOTED JAWS Filed May 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig-7.

INVENTOR.

EhfiPlES L- P11513131 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 10, 1954 CLEANING IMPLEMENT HOLDER HAVING PIVOTED JAWS Charles L. Haber, New York, N. Y.

Application May 16, 1950, Serial No. 162,359

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for holding such cleaning materials as steel wool, sponges, wash cloths and the like so that the cleaning elements will not come in contact with the hand of the user.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved cleaning material holder of the general type set forth in my U. S. Patent 2,441,268, but embodying improvements thereover rendering the same more practical for a variety of uses; the improved holder being of such nature that it will most effectively grip and hold the cleaning material.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved holder comprising a pair of movably connected sections which can be conveniently operated by means of a single hand of a user to grip and securely hold such cleaning materials as steel wool and the like.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved holder for such cleaning materials as steel wool, sponges, wash cloths and other cleaning elements, which is adapted to support the material for the cleaning of broad unobstructed surfaces, or which can hold the cleaning material so that the same can readily be used in cramped quarters, such as within glasses and the other receptacles.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved holder for steel wool and like cleaning materials which is extremely practical in nature and which can be economically fabricated; the same being very durable and convenient to use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the holder.

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the holder.

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the holder.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the holder, in closed position.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the holder showing in dotted lines the position in which the holder is held in the hand of an operator for use.

Figure 6 is a transverse cross sectional view taken thru the holder substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective View showing how an operator can open the holder with one hand for conveniently grasping steel Wool or some other cleaning material.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the holder in opened position.

Figure 9 is a vertical cross sectional view taken longitudinally thru the holder.

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing how an operator can grasp the holder with the cleaning material at the extreme front end of the holder, and use it for the cleaning of an article such as glass.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved holder. It may consist of parts or sections B and C held together by means of a hinge structure D which preferably is mainly cast or molded integral with the sections B and C, as will be subsequently described.

The material of which the material is formed is preferably plastic, altho it may be made of any approved materials which meet physical and structural requirements. In contradistinction to the holder of my aforesaid U. S. patent, the material of which the present holder is formed is rigid. That is, preferably all parts of the improved holder form rigid Wall, flanges and abutment parts.

The sections B and C include top walls l0 and l respectively which are complementary and form the top Wall of the holder. These top walls for the major lengths thereof are convexly formed. That is, concavo-convex in cross section with the convex side upwardly. They terminate in downturned tail portions i2 and i3 which form gripping jaws for holding the cleaning material in a manner to be subsequently described. The fore ends i l and i5 are upturned and likewise form cleaning material gripping jaws. The downturned end portions 52 and i3 have the external surfaces thereof conforming to the sloping convexity of the Walls Hi and l l, but the upturned fore end portions i i and 15 define a finger receiving depression 29, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, for receiving the end of the index finger of the operator grasping the holder. The top wall of the holder. including the end gripping jaws as above described, is sufficiently long so that the operators hand can be placed relatively flat but slightly arched upon the holder with the convex top surfaces of the end portions l2 and it resting at the base of the palm of the hand of the operator. This enables the holder to comportably conform to the natural hand grasp of the operator, in order that the operator may use the holder without any appreciable fatigue.

The sections B and C are provided with depending side walls 25 and 26 respectively. They are integral with the wall portions iii and H of the sections B and C. At the junctures with the wall portions l6 and H the external surfacing is convexed and therefrom the side walls 25 and 26 slope convergently downward as at 25 and 25 to the thumb and finger engaging grooves 21 and Z8. Therefrom the side walls 25 and 26 diverge downwardly and outwardly at 25 and 26 respectively and then are inwardly turned to provide bottom wall or jaw portions 30 and 3! which are complementary to each other and define a bottom wall which is arched with the convex side facing downwardly. In cross section the wall formed by the portions 38 and 31 is slightly curved, as shown in Figure 6.

The walls 3t and ii are recessed in facing relation at the transverse medial plane of the holder, to define an opening 32 for receiving a bulk portion of the cleaning material. The edges of the walls 36 and 3% both forwardly and rearwardly of the opening 32 are provided with interfitting teeth 35, adapted to grasp and hold the steel wool or other cleaning material in a manner which is perfectly apparent.

Referring to the hinge structure D, it is entirely possible to provide a leaf type hing with the leaves secured in any approved .ianner to the top wall portions it and ll. However, I prefer to provide the barrel portions or the hinge integral with the walls ill and ii. To that end the part C is provided with integral barrel portions ill and M, as shown in Figure 8, and elsewher They have passageways, the axes of which are in the vertical plane of the top wall division line of the holder. The barrel portions 22 and ii are spaced to receive the barrel portion l l which is integral with the holder part B. The barrel portion M.- has a passageway therethru aligned with the passageways of the barrel portions ill and ll. lihese passageways receive a tapered pintle 55, shown in Figure 9. The pintle Ell may be driven into place frictionally so that it cannot become loose as an incident of pivotal swinging of the sections of the holder.

The barrel portion M is provided with a finger tip engaging button 55, integral therewith, the under surface of which overhangs the section 0, constituting a stop surface to limit the opening movement of the sections 3 and C. Preferably, the side wall portions 26 and 23 are provided with finger tip engaging depressions bl in the medial transverse plane of the holder. Their purpose is to receive the tip of the thumb and the tip of the forefinger on the opposite side, so the index finger can be used in pressing upon the button in order to swing the sections B and C open, as is shown in Figure 7, in order that the cleaning material can be conveniently grasped between the bottom wall portions 3% and 3!.

Flat flanges it and it are molded or cast integral with the side walls 25 and 26 upon the inner surfaces thereof spaced between the top and bottom wall structures of the holder, in about the position shown in Figure 9.

The flanges lit and ii constitute stops and reinforcement for the holder side walls and also they are preferably, altho not necessarily, provided with non-intei'l eshing teeth ll for gripping the cleaning material. lt is entirely to provide a holder without the flanges it and H, but in some sizes and types of holders they are considered to be necessary. The flanges preferably extend the major lengths of the side walls, as shown in Figure 9.

It is to be noted that both the front and rear gripping jaw portions ii5 and i2l3 extend beyond the adjacent end edges of the side walls. They are provided with non-intermeshing teeth on the facing edges thereof.

Attention should be called to the fact that this holder can be used with the cleaning materials at either end or at the bottom. For that purpose openings and gripping jaws are provided at these locations for the purpose of engaging and holding cleaning material of proper size.

It should be noted that the entire cycle of action of the holder can be accomplished with one hand. That is, it is possible with one hand to open the holder for gripping the cleaning material, and in the case of steel wool, steel wool need not be held in the hand of the operator, such as he cleaning material shown at E in Figure 7 of the drawings. Clusters of steel wool can be placed upon a suitable support and the holder operated by a single hand in order to grasp the same.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for steel wool and like cleaning material comprising a pair of sections each including a top wall portion, a depending side wall portion, and a jaw portion upon the lower part of the side wall portion, means pivotaliy connect ing the top wall portions of sections together so that the said jaws may be moved into opened and closed relation, each of said side wall portions having another jaw thereon located between the first mentioned jaws and the top wall portions for the additional gripping and holding of cleaning material held by the first mentioned the top wall portions of said sections at each of the ends thereof having jaw extensions which can be moved into opened and closed relation for gripping steel wool therebetween in projecting relation beyond the ends of the holder.

2. A holder for steel wool and like cleaning materials comprising an elongated top wall structure comprising a pair of elongated top wall sections pivotally connected along the longitudinal center of the top wall, said top wall at the ends of said sections being laterally tapered in reducing width, the reduced ends of said top wall comprising jaws which will open and close as the sections are pivotally moved whereby to grip steel wool in endwise projecting relation at either end of the top wall, the jaws of the top wall at one end of the top wall structure being turned upwardly and the jaws at the opposite end or" the top wall structure being turned downwardly, and hand grasping means connected with the outer side margins of each of the top wall sections.

References Gifted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 219,999 Thomas Sept, 23, 1879 1,417,619 Male May 32', 1922 1,958,408 Jelliffe et al. May 15, 1934 1,989,720 Toplitz May 29, 1934 2,267,286 Cohen July 9, 1940 2,358,682 Benton et a1. Sept. 19, 1944 1,4i1,268 Haber May ll, 19% 2,434,986 Ellinger Oct. 1%, 2,562,?39 Nohrden Apr. l, 1950 2,514,481 Ellinger July 11, 2,529,434 Walker Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 616,194 Great Britain Jan. 1'7, 1949 

